Rotary engine.



Patented Apr. 17, |900.

4 Sheets-Sheet l.

n." M. nEAmNG; ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application led Dec. 17, 1897.)

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Nn. 647,7l7.

(N0 Model.)

No. 647,7I7. Patented Apr.. I7, I900. D. M. BEARING.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application led Dec. 17, 1897.)

4 Sheets-#Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

w: nonms 'PETERS ca.. Moroumc., wsnmu'rom uv n.

No. 64mm. Patented Apr. |7,|9oo. u. n. Demme.

RM'ABY ENGINE.

pp'tian iledv Dec. 17, 1897.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

No. 647,7!7. Patented Apr. I7, |900. D. M. BEARING.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Dec. 17, 1897.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

THE wams PETERS co.. moro-wma., wnmmon. n. c.

'NITED STATES FATEN'T OFFICE..

DAVID M. DEARING, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO GUILFORD S. WOOD, OF SAME PLACE, AND HENRY P. DEARING, OF SANDSTONE,

MICHIGAN.

ROTARY ENGINE;

se'ncrrrcnmron forming part ofretters Patent No. 647,717, dated Aprn 17, 1.1906.l Application led December 17, 18.97. Serial No. 662,343. (No model.)

To rrr/ZZ whom, it may concern: 1 y

Be it known that I, DAVID M. DEAR1Ne,-a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to steam-engines, and more especially to that class thereof known as rotary and the object of the same is to produce an improved engine of this character, as will appear below.

To this end the invention consists in an engine constructed substantially as hereinafter more fully described and claimed and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a central vertical section on line Y Y of Fig. 2, taken through two engines of the type herein described and showing them in directly-opposite positions. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line x o; of Fig. l at right angles to the section-line of that view. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, Fig. 4 an end elevation, and Fig. 5 a plan View, of the yoke forming part of the valve-throwing mechanism. Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevation of the support and its dog for moving said yoke.- Fig. 7 is a diagram, partly in section, showing the connection of the inlet and outlet valve plugs with their operating mechanism. Fig. 8 is a detail of the hand-lever for setting the yoke above mentioned. Fig. 9 is a perspective view ofthe cut-oif valves and their heads which. cooperate with said yoke. Fig. l0 is an enlarged perspective detail of a portion of the eccentric-frame, showing the adjustability of the dog support thereon. Fig. 1l is an elevation of the two engines shown in Fig. l, to which `is added one form of mechanism for causing them to work together by automatically admitting and cutting off the steam at proper points. Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail, partly in section, showing the same mechanism and some of the valves c0ntrolled thereby.

Referring to the drawings by reference lettcrs and numerals, 5 designates the bed, by

which is supported the (preferably circular) end pieces or heads 6 6, having hubs through which is journaled a main shaft 8. In the present instance I have shown two of my improved engines arranged within a plurality of such castings end to end, and the main shaft continues through both of them and carries a main driving or balance wheel 18, from which power may be belt-ed or geared to the machinery to be driven. However, it will be understood that a greater or lesser number might be mounted on this shaft without departing` from the spirit of my invention; but when a plurality of engines are so used they are set either quartering or otherwise out of parallel ism with each other, so as to prevent deadcenters,as usual in compound engines. Hence a description of but one of my engines will suffice herein, except where reference is made to their joint action.

Vithin the casing and on the shaft 8 is rig'- idly mounted the core 7 (shown in Fig. 2 as truly circular and set eccentric to said shaft, so as to leave a steam-space 3S of crescent shape and of the full width of the core) and atvthe point of its greatest radius is inserted packing 21 to coact with the interior face of the rim, and thus form the terminal point of the piston-head. In the heads 6 are set annular packing-rings 20, pressed inward by set-screws 20 or equivalents, so as to coact with the ends of the core and prevent escape of steam. The extremities of the piston-head may also have packing 22 for like purpose, and a spring 22a is here shown throwing each head outward, as is used in some cases. However, these details form no essential part of the present invention.

9 designates the cylinder-head, here shown as mounted in an upright chamber 5' at the top of the rim, which chamber has a fine outlet-pipe 36 leading to the exhaust, so as to prevent the formation of an air-cushion behind the head. The inner end of the latter is preferably provided with packing 2i to coact with the periphery of the core-that is, making complete connection between cylinder-head and core, while the cylinder-head travels always close to the core, but never touches it.

Adjacent suitable collars 13 on the shaft 8 are set eccentrics 11, one at each end of the sys engine, and theseieccentrics stand absolutely parallelfwith the periphery `or active face of the core. Mounted on the bands surrounding these eccentrics is a frz-tme'compris-y ing-uprights 11a, (preferably double, as seen in Fig. 10,) a cross or connecting rod 11b, and a pairxof rods 9a, leading downward from the latter through suitable packing in the top of the rim-chamber 5 and connected with the cylinder-head '9,' and hence the rotation of shaft 8 and eccentrics 11 causes the reciprocation of the head within its chamber at just such times as shallicause its active face to al- .way's coact with the periphery of the core.

The fact that the eccentrics and their bands A(the wearing parts of this engine) are on the tail 17b pendent and .standing behin'd'astud 16din .the support, whereby the nose is rigid on its downward movement, but turns `pivotallyonits upward movement, all for a pur-- pose to appear below. Y

`14 isa bracket supported inthe top ofthe rim-chamber and sustaining a-rodf12"', as in Fig. 2. On this rod is mounted: the eye 123 of a yoke 12, whose horizontal portion has loops 12h passing around the rods 9a, as seen, andwhose pendent extremities carry horizontal cams 12a,whose oblique-or cam-shaped in- I ner faces stand truly parallel with each other and slightly oblique to the rod 12e. InV the top of the eye 12c is a sloti12d,enrgaged by the tip 15d ofa hand-lever 15, having its pivotal support at 15 in the bracket 14, and the upper part or handle proper of this lever carries a dog or catch 15c of any suitable type adapted `to engage a toothed or ratchet plate 37, supported by the bracket. The purpose of these i details will be describedbelow.

Fig. 9 illustrates the cut-o valve, whichv comprises twin parallel plates 10 10, connected, as at 10d, to heads l0", which latter contact with thecam-faces 12, just above described, while the plates 10 movehorizon tally through suitable ways in the rim-chambery astride the cylinder-head, as in Fig. 2. At

proper points in the plates l0 are cut 'inletports-10a and 10b, each twice the Width of the inlet-duct hereinafterdescribed and the outer edge of one port standing in atransverse line withthe inner edge of the other., j

' The numeral 26 designatesthe fluid-inlet, which-branches, asy at 25, and leads downwarden oppositesides of the `cylinder-head 9, the cut-oif valve standing across the ducts formed by said branches, as seen in Fig. 2. 28128 are the two outlet-ducts, preferably standing outside the inlets, as also shown in under its active face. type are used, as shown in Fig. 1, one performs the above-described actions vuntil its 38 between the two heads 9 and 2l the full force-of the fiuid agent-acts against the piston-head 21 to turn the core 7 (in this illustration) to the left. When this Vhead has reached a point one-,fourth or one-half a revolution or other desired distance from the cylinder-head, the cut-oiof thelive steam takes place, and for the balance of the stroke the engine works on the expansion of such. steam as remains within the space 38. Meanwhile the exhaust hasv been th rough the right-hand duct 28 to prevent cushion behind the head 21 and the eccentrics 11` have been moving their frame to cause the cylinder-head 9.to descendas the shorter radii ofthe core 7 come If two engines of this piston-head reaches a point at the bottom (see position illustrated in Fig. 2) when the other commences its stroke, and hence while the first is running on momentum the second is running under power. It will be'obvious that a still greater number could be employed on the same shaft and possibly to even better ad 7antage. Said cut-off iseiiected by the ICO descent of the two supports 16, which are properly set on the frame-bars 11a. In descending as the eccentrics turn the nose 17a at one side first engages the rounded'back12X ofthe yoke and bears it inward, and then the nose at the other side engages the rounded portion on the opposite side andpresses the yoke `back to its initial position", and these movements of the yoke are imparted through heads .10c to the cut-olf plates 10, thus throwing the properport inone of them first across the inlet-duct 25 and then out of alinement therewith. Further rotation of the eccentrics 11 causes 'the rise of the two supports, when the noses 17a trip under Athe' rounded back s of cams 12a and have no effect thereon. Thus the-.engine continues its rotation, as will be clear.

The adjustabilityof .the supports 16 and their dogsis for the purpose of electing earlier or later cutting on or oif of the steam, as

\wi1l be clear, for the lower each is set'the quicker its action. Thus `this adjustment produces a longer orshorter use of steam under lits full force of steam under expansion, or both, as may be desired. If two o r more engines are used on a single shaft, greater power and' perfect balance may thus be assuredand by proper adjustment the combined engine maybe caused to work slowly and powerfully or with greater speed and no expansion, as the exigencies of the case may demand.

IIO

In order to reverse the direction of rotation, it will obviously be necessary to open theinlet and outlet that were formerly closed, and vice versa. The opposite action then takes place, or rather the same action in the opposite direction. The inlet of steam is then at the right of the cylinder-head in Fig. 2 and the outlet at the left. To accomplish this, it will be seen that it is necessary that the intlowing steam be shifted from one pipe to the other and the exhaust be also switched from oneV shown herein and will explain in detail.

Fig. 7 shows the inlet 26 branched into two pipes 25, and at their junction is located a valve having here a quarter-way port through its plug and operated by an arm 27, While the outlet 29 and its branches 28 have a similar valve 30 with its arm 3l. These arms are connected, respectively, by links 34 and 32 with a lever 33 in such manner that when this lever stands as seen in full lines in this view the inlet leads to one branch 25 and the' outlet communicates with the branch 28 on the other side of the cylinder-head. When,

however, the lever 33 is moved to the dotted position, the links and arms cause the simultaneous movements of the plugs, so that the inlet is led to its other branch and the outlet is also caused to communicate with its other branch. Hence one movement of the lever 33 causes the simultaneous turning off and on of the live and exhaust steam in proper manner and without requiring attention of the engineer..

I have said that the ports 10a and 10b are twice as wide as the inlet-ducts with which they act and that the inner edge of one is in transverse line with the outer edge of the other. Obviously this arrangement is for the purpose of allowing the cut-off valves as a whole to remain set and still do their work even after the engine has been reversed. Supposing live steam to be passing inward through duct 25,.which registers with port 10a, the movement of the plates 10 will be such that the duct will stand over the right half of the port, as seen in Fig. 9, when open, and the plate moving here to the left the closed portion of the plate at the right end of the port will stand across the duct when closed. The latter movement obviously brings the left end of the other port 10b in register with the other duct 25; but as the latter is closed at its valve 27 no steam will be admitted. It often occurs, as when such an engine is used on a locomotive or in other cases, that the engine is suddenly called on to do very heavy work, as in ascending steep grades, and it is then no longer desirable to have the expan sive force of the steam utilized at all, the direct and full force of the steam against the cylinder-head being alone desired. This improved construction permits such shifting, temporarily or permanently, and with the engine working in either direction, and I will explain how.

With the operation above described taking place and the emergency just mentioned present the engineer grasps lever 15, disengages its catch 15c from plate 37, and swings it on its pivot 15. This causes the tip 15d, which engages slot 12d in the eye 12C, to move said eye along the rod 120. Such motion is imparted to the yoke 12, andthe result is that its cams 12a, which are oblique, but parallel,

are moved along and still in engagement with theheads 10c of the cut-off. This causes the en tire cut-oit to be moved within its slidechamber in one direction or the other, according to the direction in which lever 15 is moved and to a corresponding extent, so that thereafter the cut-on and cut-off effected by the dogs will not be interrupted in any Way nor the rotation of the core in either direction desired prevented at all; but yet the ports 10a and 10b (or rather Whichever one of them is in use) will then in their movements travel through different distances, as will be clear. The result will be that the inlet of the live steam will be from full head to cut-0E entire, from full to partial head, or full head at all times, the latter resulting when each port (of double width) simply moves back and forth across its duct, (of single width.)

With a plurality of my improved engines it sometimes becomes desirable to Work them together or so that the exhaust-steam from one engine may be piped to another and again used therein, as set forth above. One means for accomplishing this change automatically and positively is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and more fully in Figs. 11 and 12. In these views, 19a is a valve in one inlet 25, and

19 is a switch-pipe leading into this inlet 25.

below such valve from a supplemental exhaust, herein shown at the bottom ofthe other engine, While the main exhaust 28 (if used) will be closed by a valve. (Not shown.) In this switch-pipe 19 is located a valve. In the illustration two are shown, as at 19b and 19, and their function is to cut `off the exhaust from 011e engine or to permit it to pass on to the next. The main valve 19a is operated by a lever 50, the valve 19b by a lever 51 and the valve 19c bya lever 5G. Levers 50 and 51, are connected by a link 52, pivoted to them, as at B and C, whereby these valves arecaused to open or close in unison.

5i is a rocking link pivoted centrally at A and having slotted ends 54. In one of the latter stands a pin E at the extremity of a link 53, which is pivoted at D to one or the other lever 50 or 51, while in the other slot stands a pin F at the extremity of a link 55, which is pivoted at G to the exhaust-valve lever 56. By this arrangement the manipulation of hand-lever 50 moves all thelinks IOO IIO

l f4 i 6453i? and levers with the following res ult, although I desire t-understood that any other system main lever 50 from dottedI to full line posiof moving the valves simultaneously and positively will answer, the one shown being merely for sake of illustration.

When it is desired to work the two engines together, as above mentioned, the main lever `50 is thrown from the dotted position to that in full lines. The result is that valve 19a cuts o the inlet of live steam to the left en'- gine and the valves 19b and l9csimultaneously open into the left inlet the exhaust-steam fromthe right engine, the one movement of tion operating to change the two engines from 'two' direct to one direct and one secondary engine, the left one using the' exhaust-steam from the right. Y

What is claimed as new is- Y v l. In a rotary engine, the combination with v acasing, a cylinder-head therein, an inlet at one side and an exhaust at the other side of said head, a truly cylindrical core havinga smooth exterior face and journaled within the casing o the .center of the core,and a piston-head terminating at its point of greatest radius, of a cut-off valve across the inlet, a yoke engaging the extremities of the valveplate, means for causing the reciprocation of the yoke, and mechanism for adj ustably tim` ing said reciprocation, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. kIn a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, a cylinder-head, a core, a pistonhead, a main shaft, and a frame connected with the cylinder-head and reciprocated by' said shaft; of inlet and exhaust ducts on opl yposite sides ofA thecylinder-head, a cut-off plate sliding across theinlet and having a port, a yoke engaging the extremities of said plate` and having rounded portions opposite thereto, and on each bar of the frame an adjustable support carrying a pivoted dogY engaging said rounded portion on its movement nss yin one direction and sliding thereover in the other direction, as and for the purpose set forth.

3.. In a rotary engine, the combination witha casing, a ,core therein off center and having a piston-head at its point of greatest radius, a cylinder-head coacting with the active face of the core, and a frame for reciprocating said cylinder-head; of inlet and exhaust ducts at rocating the latter, and means for setting the plate with respect to the position its port occupies with reference to the duct, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a rotaryengi-ne, the combination with acasing, a cylinder-head, a core, a pistonhead, and inlet and exhaust ducts; of a cuto plate sliding across the inlet and having aport, a yoke vengaging' the platev andhaving rounded portions, reciprocating supports head, and inlet and exhaust ducts; of a cutoff plate across the inlet-duct and having a porttwice the width thereof, a yoke for reciprocatingsaid plate through predetermined distances, cams on the arms of the yoke engaging the extremities of the plate, such cams standing oblique to the length of the plate but parallel with each other, and means for moving the yoke laterally, as and for the purpose` set forth. i

6. In ar'otary engine, the combination with the casing, a cylinder-head, a core, a pistonhead, and inlet and exhaust ducts.; of a cuto plate across the inlet-duct and having a port twice the width thereof, a bracket having a rod, a yoke having aslotted eye engaging said rod and provided with arms with camshaped inner faces engaging the extremities of thecutoff plate, a lever on the bracket with its tip engaging the slot in the yoke-,eye for the purpose set forth, and means for reciprocating the yokel longitudinally of the plate, substantially as described. i

7. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, a cylinder-head, a core, a pistonhead, and inlet and exhaust ducts; of a cutoif plate across the inlet-duct and having a port twice the width thereof, a bracket having a fixed rod at right angles to the length ofthe plate,`a yoke having an eye journaled on said rod and depending arms with parallel oblique inner faces engaging the extremities ofthe plate and rounded outer facesopposite, reciprocating dogs engaging said rounded portions as set forth, and an adjusting-lever on the bracket for sliding the yoke-eye longitudinally onsaid rod therein, substantially as described. 1

g 8. In a rotary engine, they combination with a casing, a cylinder-head, acore, a pistonhead, and inlet and exhaust ducts; of a cutoif platesliding across the inlet and having a port larger than the sizeof the duct, a` pivoted yoke having parallel oblique inner faces at the ends ofits arms engaging the extremities of said plate and. rounded portions opposite thereto, Vmeans for moving the yoke laterally as set forth, loops in its body, an eccentric connected with the core-shaft, a frame operated thereby and having a double bar and rods extending through the yoke-loops to the cylinder-head, a support adj ustably bolted to saiddouble bar, anda pivoted dog 'carried byv the support and engaging the rounded back.

of the yoke-arm in one direction only, substantially as described.

9. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, a cylinder-head therein, a c ore having a piston-head, connections between the core-shaft and cylinder-head, and an inlet and IOO IIO

an exhaust duct leading into the casing at each side of the cylinder-head; of a pair of cut-off plates sliding across the inlet-ducts and having ports extending from opposite sides of a transverse line across both plates and hence out of alinement with each other so that when one is open the other is closed, a valve for each outlet, and means for reciprocating said plates through predetermined distances at either side of said transverse line, as and for the purpose set forth.

lO. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing` a cylinder-head therein, a core having a pistonhead, means for reciprocating the cylinder-head, and a single inlet and single DAVID M. DEARING.

Witnesses:

OSCAR LACHMUND, G. J. STUNNER. 

